Porvorim: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Tuesday that he would meet the villagers of Karapur-Sarvan on Thursday and hear out their grievances. The villagers have been sitting on a protest for 150 days against a real estate project in the village.Leader of opposition Yuri Alemao, raising the issue during Zero Hour, said that the protest has completed 150 days, and the villagers have expressed fears of major environmental damage by the project to the village. He said that no site inspection has been held to date by officials based on the complaints filed by the villagers.“The villagers say that the project is being taken up without any environmental clearance. You should take necessary action in a fair, transparent, and time bound manner. They have raised concerns for local ecology and on depletion of water resources, change in demography and character of Karapur and surrounding villages. The department should have taken joint steps so that villagers are not put at mercy of real estate giants. You are testing their patience,” said Alemao, alleging that the CM did not meet the protesting villagers when they came to the assembly on Monday.The CM then promised to meet them on Thursday, a day after the assembly session ends.Sawant, based on another issue raised by Bicholim MLA Chandrakant Shetye, also promised to direct the directorate of mines and geology to carry out clear demarcation of mining lease areas in Mulgao. The villagers have been expressing fear that their fields, temples, and even residences are included in the lease.
